Anaesthetic considerations in the Prader-Willi syndrome: report of four cases.

The anaesthetic management of four paediatric patients with the Prader-Willi syndrome is reported. The syndrome is characterized by obesity, mental retardation, genital hypoplasia, hypotonia, and diabetes mellitus. All patients were anaesthetized with halothane. Succinylcholine or pancuronium were used for muscle relaxation, without evidence of abnormal response. Common anaesthetic difficulties in this syndrome are obesity, hypotonia, disturbance in thermoregulation, arrhythmias, diabetes mellitus and convulsions.